Resilient wheel



Patented Dep. 27, 1921.

c. NEIMEYEB. HESILIENT WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED AUG- l5, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. camas NnIMnYnn. or LITTLE nocx, ARKANSAS, AssIGNon TO DEMOUNTABLE SPRING TIRE coMrANmor sT. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION or Mrs- SOUBI.

BESILIENT WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

` application mea august 1e, 1920. serial No. 403,902.

`To all whom it may camera:

Beit known that I, CHARLES NEIMnYnn,

" a citizen of the United States of America,

and a resident of Little Rock, in the county of Pulaski and State of Arkansas, have 1nvented certain new and useful Improvements in Resilient Wheels, of which the'follovving is a full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanymgdrawin s forming a part of this specification.

y invention relates to improvements 1n resilient wheels, and more particularly to a resilient wheel having shock absorbin members interposed between inner an .outer wheel rinis. One Object of the invention is to im rove the shock absorbers, which are in the orln of resilient clutches adapted to creep alongban annular track on one of the rims, there y permittlng the Inner rim to turn faster than theouter rim. With this Object in view, each of the resilient clutches referably consists of a simple rubber block liaving a yielding shock-absorbing portion, and a relatively hard portion frictionally engaging the annular track andadapted to cree circumferentially thereof. The hard port1on of the rubber is well adapted to withstand the friction to which it is sub-` jected at the annular track, and a further advantage results from the fact that this rubber will creep silently on the metal track. The yielding orton of the rubber serves as a Shock absor ing element, and 1t is assembled between the rims under pressure, so as tO n:firmly force the relatively hard rubber into frictional enga" ement with the annular track. To obtain t e desired Strength and i sim licit the different rubber elements are pre crab formed integral with each other, each of t e rubber clutches being a single block of rubber having a yielding portionand a relatively hard portion.

Another object of the invention 1s to` produce a wheel having rubber clutches of thls kind adapted to coperate with an annular rib on the annular track, sov as to prevent lateral displacement ofthe clutches. The

hard rubber elements are preferably sepa-` rated from each other to receive the annular rib, and said rib does not in ang way prevent the discharge of dirt, roc s and the like, from the annular track on which the clutches travel.

YFigure I is aside elevation of a vehicle vheel embodying the features Of this invenion.

Fig. Il iS an enlarged fragmentary Section, illustrating one of the yielding clutches between `the inner and Outer rims.

l"1g.I1II is a transverse section taken approximately through the center of the structure. shown in Fig. II.

Fig. IV is a perspective view of one of the rubber blocks.

The wheel shown in Fig. I comprises a hub l, splokcs 2, a felly 3 and a metal band 4 Surro'un ing the felly to receive a demountable rim. 5 5 designates fastening devices of a Well known type adapted to secure a demountabhle rim to the wheel. The wheel is thus .equlppedto receive a demountable rim, and it may be considered as a standard auto' mobile wheel.

The resilient demountable tire comprises an inner rim A adapted to be secured by the fastening devices 5, an outer rim B surroundin Said inner rim, and a rubber tire @which 1s preferably vulcanized on the Outer rim.

The outer rimB also includes a continuous unobstructed annular track 7 facing the inner rim, and an annular retaining rib 8 extending from the middle portion of said annular track so as to divide said track into tivo annular track elements, one at each side of said annular retaining rib 8.

The inner rim A may be in the form of a channel consistingof an annular web 9 and annular side flanges l0 extending from said web. If desired, this rim A may be the pneumatic tires oft e clencher type.

An annular vrow` of resilient expanding'- clutches is arranged circumferentially of the annular track 7 `and interposed between "the inner and `outer Wheel rims to form a yielding frictional connection which allows the inner rim to turn, or creep, relative to the outer rim. Each of these resilient clutches preferably consists of a rubber block R having a yielding rubber shock absorbing element 11 and relatively hard rubber elements 12 which frictionally .engage the annular track 7 at opposite sides of the retaining rib 8. d

The hard rubber elements 12 are separated from each other to form a recess for the annular retaining rib 8, and said hard rubber elements contact with the side faces of rib 8 to prevent lateral displacement of the rubber blocks.

An advantage is gained by using two separate hard rubber ribs 12 which do not extend across the rib 8, for the hard rubber is comparatively brittle and a single pieceV of hard rubber extending across the rib 8 would be liable to breakage in service. In other words, a hard rubber bridge extending across and contacting with rib 8 as well as with the annular tracks at opposite sides of the rib, would be liable to break in response to the pressure tending to force the hard rubber onto the rib 8 and also onto both tracks 7.

In making the rubber block, a. body of raw rubber is molded to form the yielding element 11, and separate bodies of raw rubber are molded to Jform the harder elements 12. These bodies` of rawrubber are then assembled as shown in Fig. IV. It is to be understood that the bodies of raw rubber are compounded differently, so that the rubber elements 12 will become comparatively hard when vulcanized with the rubber element 11. The vulcanizing operation will integrally connect the two different rubber elements, and the finished article will be a single block of rubber having a yielding shock absorbing portion 11 and harder portions 12 which serve as friction elements and which also coperate with rib 8 to prevent lateral displacement. To enable the rubber element 11 to yield more freely, recesses 15 are preferably formed in the base of this rubber element.

The rubber blocks R are assembled vvbetween the rims under pressure, and theoretically the pressureve'xerted by the rubber should be great enough to support the normal load of the vehicle, but in actual practice the inner rinrmay be forced down- Wardly a slight' distance by the weight of the vehicle and its contents so as to occupy a position eccentric to t-heouter rim.` If the initial, or normal, pressure of the rubber is great enough, the load will be supported by the wheel Without further displacement or bending the rubber, and in this event the bodies of rubber will not be subjected to injurious constant fleXure when the vehicle is traveling over a smooth roadway.

At the upper portion of the wheel, the friction clutches formed by the rubber blocks are comparatively free, and there being no positive driving connection'between the inner and outer rims, the free individual resilient clutches are permitted to move or creep circumferentially of the annular track 7 In one revolution the circumferential slippage is very slight, but in traveling several miles the total slippage may amount to one or lutions, depending upon the conditions under which the wheel is driven.

By using the rib 8 to prevent lateral displacement, I also prevent dirt, sand, rocks and other objects from remaining in the space between the rims. Centrifugal force will throw such objects outwardly from the inner rim, and the retaining` rib S will not interfere with the discharge of rocks, and the like, from the annular track 7.

The radial pins 1G are reniov: bly mounted in the inner rim, so the blocks of rubber can be easily assembled in the space between the inner and outer rims. Allach pin 16 passes through a hole in the inner rim, and when the rim is applied to a wheel, a head 16 on cach pin lies between the inner rim and the metal band el on the felly. The heads 16 are thus confined between the inv ner rim and the band el to retain the pins 16 in proper engagement with the rubber blocks when the tire structure is mounted on a wheel. In assembling the rubber blocks, the pins 1G are inserted after the blocks are mounted between the inner and outer rims, and it will be apparent that these pins can be easily removed to permit removal of the rubber blocks.

I claim:

1. A wheel having an inner rim, an outer rim surrounding said inner rim, one of said rims being provided with an annular track facing the other rim, and an annular row of resilient expanding rubber members arranged circumferentially of said annular trackand interposed between said rims to form a yielding frietional connection between said rims, each of said resilient rulr ber members comprising relatively hard rubber ribs separated from each other and frietionally engaging said annular track and a yielding rubber element yieldingly connect ing said separated hard rubber ribs and cooperating therewith to force the ribs onto said annular track.

A wheel having an inner rim, an outer rim surrounding said inner rim, one of said rims being provided with an aimular track facing the other rim, and an annular row ot resilient expanding rubber clutches arranged circumferenti ally of said annular track and interposed between said rims to form a `vielding frictional coimection which allows one of said rims to turn faster than the other, each of said resilient rubber clutches comprising ay single block of rubber having a pair of relatively hard rubber elements separated from each other and frictionally engaging said annular track and a. yielding, shock-absorbing rubber element extendingr entirely across said hard rubber elements and confined under pressure between said rims to force said hard rubber elements into engagement with said track, said hard rubmore complete revollt) ber elements being integrally and yieldingly connected together through the medium of said yieldinc rubber element.`

3. A wheel having an inner rim, an outer rim surrounding said inner rim, one of said rims being rovided with an annular retaining rib facing the other rim, and shook absorbin devices interposed between said rims, each o said shock absorbing devices comprising a rubber block having a yieldin rubber portion and a pair of relatively har rubber portions se arated from each other to form a recess for t e reception of said retaining rib, whereby the shock absorbing devices are retained on their seats and prevented from moving transeversely of said retainin rib, said separated hard rubber portions eing integrally and yieldingly connected together through the medium of said yielding rubber portion.

4. In a resilient wheel of the character described, an inner rim, an outer rim surrounding said inner one of said rims having a continuous uno tructed annular track facing the other rim and an annular retaining rib extending from said annular track so as to divide said track into two annular track elements, one at each side of said annular retaining rib, and an annular row of resilient rubber clutches interposed between said rims to form a yielding frictional connection which allows the inner rim to turn faster than the outer rim, each of said resilient rubber clutches comprising a pair of relatively hard non-yielding rubber portions adapted to creep along said annular track elements and -a yieldincr rubber portion formed integral with saif hard rubber portions so as to yieldingly connect said hard rubber portions, said hard rubber portions being sepa ated from each other to provide a recess for the reception of said annular retaining rib, whereby said rubber clutches are retained on said annular track elements.

In testimon that I claim the foregoing I hereunto a x my signature.

CHARLES NEIMEYER. 

